The Importance of Numbers
Your aim is to create a home that meets your needs like a glove: a snugly fitting glove is moulded to the exact dimensions of your hand. In the same way, knowledge of the important dimensions in each room around your home will help you create that snug fit between your needs and your space.
![Larder ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/19-Custom-Larder-300x200.jpg)
Familiarise yourself with dimensions
When making alterations to your home, it’s a good idea to get to know the dimensions of your existing spaces. Buy a 5 metre metal tape and take measurements using metric dimensions. You’ll be ordering your kitchen and loose furniture in centimetres so that may be a useful measure to use.Measuring not only the overall lengths of your walls, but also your windows and niches will help you both understand what you have, as well as have a comparison with which to gauge what is proposed.
Understanding Drawings and Dimensions
If you are employing an architect to prepare drawings, they will be drawn to a given scale, generally 1:100 or 1:50. In the case of 1:100, this simply means that every 1 cm on the drawing equates to 1 m in reality. For 1:50, 1 cm equates to 2 cm. Buy a scale rule and learn how to use it so that you can make sure that whatever is proposed really meets your needs.
Start with Zero!
Prior to taking on any building work, ask yourself first if your existing rooms working as hard as they might. Are they being used in the best possible way? Does the furniture layout in each room maximise space, light and storage?
And now some bigger numbers around the house…
![Hall table](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/1-Hall-1024x675.jpg)
Hall console table 35 cm deep x 15 cm high
![Timber stairs](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2-31A-Stairs.jpg)
Steps 24 cm deep x 20 cm high
![Graceful staircase](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/3-Seapoint-Stairs-1024x735.jpg)
Steps 25 cm deep x 17.5 cm high
![Cloakroom](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/4-CloaksGuest-WC.jpg)
Lower hooks 120 cm high, shoe storage 30 cm deep.
![Bathroom Storage](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/5-CloaksGuest-WCStorage-680x1024.jpg)
19 cm storage above concealed cistern, with wall mounted wc.
![Open plan living room](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/6-Living-Rug-1024x666.jpg)
Room 300 cm tall
![House & Home Magazine - my favorite room. Eva Byrne, Dublin 4 - September 2008. Photo - Paul Sherwood paul@sherwood.ie www.sherwood.ie 00 353 87 230 9096 Copyright - September 2008.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/7-Living-Couch.jpg)
Couch and shelving 200 cm wide
![TV unit](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/8-Living-TV-Unit-1024x768.jpg)
40 cm high TV unit
![Mobile TV unit](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/9-Living-TV-Unit-Context.jpg)
Mobile TV unit
![Living Room ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/9A-Living-Alcoves-1024x731.jpg)
Low storage in alcoves
![Kitchen dining family room ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/11-31A-Rear.jpg)
Kitchen Dining Family Room 5 m wide x 5.8 m long.
![12 Kitchen + Table:Island](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/12-Kitchen-TableIsland-1024x731.jpg)
Table 100 cm from kitchen units. Table 150 cm long x 90 cm wide.
![Eva Byrne, Architect and House Consultant in her favourite room at home in Ballsbridge. Lounge. Photo: Tony Gavin 10/1/07](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/13-Family-Play-1024x655.jpg)
Small couch 150 cm wide.
![IMG_7271](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IMG_7271-1024x731.jpg)
Linear kitchen with table. No island!
![Apartment kitchen ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/16-Standard-Kitchen-683x1024.jpg)
Standard kitchen units 60 cm deep x 90 cm high.
![Apartment kitchen ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/17-Tall-Kitchen-768x1024.jpg)
Custom kitchen units 60 cm deep x 105 cm high.
![American fridge](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/18-American-Fridge-1024x731.jpg)
American fridge 92 cm wide x 73 cm deep.
![Larder ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/19-Custom-Larder-1024x682.jpg)
Bespoke larder.
![Aldi stepped shelf](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/20-Aldi-Shelf-Organiser-1024x768.jpg)
Aldi stepped shelves 20 cm deep x 37 cm wide x 8.5 cm high.
![Aldi stepped shelves](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/21-Aldi-Larder-1024x768.jpg)
Aldi larder hack.
![Dining room ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/22-Dining-Table-2-1024x683.jpg)
Dining table 300 cm long x 90 cm wide: sideboard/desk 60 cm wide.
![Dining room ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/23-Dining-Table-12-1024x768.jpg)
150 cm table joined to 150 cm table.
![Sideboard ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/24-Sideboard-1024x768.jpg)
60 cm sideboard at work.
![Eva Byrne, Architect and House Consultant in her favourite room at home in Ballsbridge. Lounge. Photo: Tony Gavin 10/1/07](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/25-Family-Play-1024x655.jpg)
Toy Storage unit 157cm wide x 33cm deep x 111cm high. Muji storage units 26w x 32h x 37d.
![26 Play 2](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/26-Play-2-1024x683.jpg)
Toy/Games storage unit 200 cm long x 40 cm deep x 75 cm high. Art storage unit 80w x 40d x 96h.
![Laundry room ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/27-Understairs-Utility.jpg)
Under-stairs laundry cupboard.
![Hallway tiling wall mirror storage](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/28-Fitzwilliam-Utility-683x1024.jpg)
Utility cupboard 90 cm wide x 65 cm deep x 240 cm high. Hanging rail 120 cm above counter.
![Apartment bedroom ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/29-Wardrobes-Bed-dims--664x1024.jpg)
60 cm each side of bed. Wardrobe doors 50 cm wide x 240 cm high.
![Wardrobe ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/30-Skinny-Wardrobes-1024x768.jpg)
Wardrobe doors 50 cm wide x 240 cm tall.
![Apartment bedroom ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/31-Bed-End-683x1024.jpg)
60 cm at end of bed.
![Bookshelves in bedroom.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/32-WardrobesBooks-768x1024.jpg)
Wardrobes 60 cm deep with 60 cm bookshelves at end.
![Teen desk ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/33-DeskPinboardShelves-1024x768.jpg)
Desk 60 cm deep, pin-board 50 cm high, 33 cm clear between shelves.
![Teen bedroom ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/34-DeskWardrobeDressing-768x1024.jpg)
Wardrobe and desk 60 cm deep, dressing table 30 cm deep.
![Teen dressing table](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/35-DeskWardrobeDressing-768x1024.jpg)
Dressing table 30 cm deep.
![Double ended bath.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/36-Double-ended-bath-1024x683.jpg)
Double ended bath 180 cm long x 80 cm deep.
![Laundry basket ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/37-Laundry-Bath-1024x683.jpg)
Hinged access to laundry at end of bath with 2 baskets each 32 x 38 x 58.
![Bathroom storage ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/38-Bathroom-Storage-669x1024.jpg)
Concealed storage over concealed cistern 15 cm deep.
![Hot Press ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/39-Fitzwilliam-Linen-683x1024.jpg)
Hot Press shelves with 25 cm clear between each shelf.
![Linen storage ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/40-Hot-Press-Baskets-680x1024.jpg)
Hot Press with shelves 25 cm apart vertically and space for laundry baskets at bottom.
![Home office ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/42-Desk-Shelving-683x1024.jpg)
Home Office with 50 cm deep desk, 50 cm high pin-board and shelves with 33 cm clear between each.
![Home office ideas](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/43-Fixed-Shelving-683x1024.jpg)
Desk 50 cm deep, adjustable shelves at side 45 cm deep.
![Dressing table ideas.](https://houseology.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/44-DeskDressing-652x1024.jpg)
Home Office in Guest Bedroom doubles as Dressing Table.
Hoping these ideas will help you make every centimetre count!